First-graders explain ‘mystery’ of Santa Claus

Walker Elementary students have proof he’s real

Students in Amy Byrd’s first-grade class at Walker Elementary School work on Christmas-themed crafts on Tuesday.

Michelle Lepianka Carter | The Tuscaloosa News

By Kim EatonStaff Writer

Published: Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 11:32 p.m.

For many children, and some adults, Christmas Eve is a night of wonder, excitement and a little bit of magic, all created by one jolly old man with a boisterous laugh. This man, often referred to as Santa Claus, is somewhat of a mystery to adults. But students in Amy Byrd’s first-grade class at Walker Elementary School in the Samantha community are completely dialed in to his 365-day-a-year operation. Some even say they have concrete evidence of Santa’s existence.

Long before Christmas Eve arrives, Santa and his little elves are busy making toys for all of the boys and girls in the world. But only “good people” get presents, said 7-year-old Brian Watson. “Bad people don’t get anything.” Sometimes bad children will get coal in their stocking, but that is all, a few other students explained.

Santa knows if children are good or bad because “he can see us when we’re sleeping,” said 6-year-old Mary Grace Montgomery. He then puts everyone’s name on a good or bad list, said Caroline Barger. The good list is definitely longer than the bad list, the 7-year-old added.

The toys are then divvied up among the children based on their Christmas wishes. Those wishes are explained in letters that children write to Santa and mail to the North Pole, said 7-year-old Robert Estis.

“Sometimes he doesn’t give you what you want. He gives you a surprise,” Estis said. “I like his surprises.”

Some of the students said they send emails instead of writing letters, because “it’s faster.”

When Christmas Eve arrives, the elves help Santa load up the sleigh and then he takes off. Jacob Minchew, 7, said there are a lot of reindeer attached to the sleigh, and they fly, added 7-year-old Jonas Sartain.

“The reindeer have some of the elves’ power. They are supposed to fly fast because he has too many reindeer,” said 7-year-old Lucy Lunceford. “Some reindeer plus more reindeer equal a lot of feet. That’s how he gets to everyone’s house. But it’s a long night.”

Santa visits all the houses, sometimes landing on the roof or the grass, depending on the house, said Kaisen Lawrence, 6. Typically, Santa makes his way down a chimney, but if a house does not have a chimney, then he makes one with his magic, according to 6-year-old Sabrina Boatman, or he just comes in the back door, said Jeremiah Jent, 6, adding that he knows this because his mother told him; he has never seen Santa come in the back door.

Santa also never gets burnt because he wears a fire-proof suit, said 6-year-old Allee Taylor.

Sometimes Santa does not even climb down the chimney; his elves climb down instead and they put all the presents under the tree, said Brayden Cannon, 7.

When the night is finished, Santa returns home to Mrs. Claus and, with the help of his elves, he puts away all of the leftover presents to use next year, said 6-year-old Angel Suire. Then he sleeps for a “whole day because he’s really tired from what he does,” Taylor said.

Some of the students boasted of actually seeing Santa in action, and they had proof. Taylor puts out reindeer food — made of oatmeal, glitter and sometimes rice — on the grass outside her house and every year when she wakes up, the food is gone.

McKinley Evans, 6, said she saw Santa putting presents under her tree on Christmas Eve last year. She ran to wake up her brother, so he could also see, and then they hid because Santa is not supposed to see them. She was unable to take a photo that night.

Estis, however, has evidence of Santa’s existence in the form of a sleigh bell that was left in his front yard, right next to foot tracks. He said he put the bell away with all of his special things, where no one can find it. Elijah Kimbrell said he found a piece of Santa’s beard in his chimney.

“I didn’t hear him scream, though, because I’m a hard sleeper,” said the 7-year-old. “But I’m sure he would have.”

With or without proof, their unwavering belief in Santa was real, and their love of the holiday — because “you get what you want sometimes,” according to 6-year-old Ethan Boatman — is something that will continue, at least for a few more years. Each student has a favorite part of Christmas, from 7-year-old Melynna Watkins celebrating the birth of Jesus to Suire’s enjoyment of getting all of the candy from her stocking.

But Lucy Lunceford summed it up best: “Giving is the real meaning of Christmas.”

<p>For many children, and some adults, Christmas Eve is a night of wonder, excitement and a little bit of magic, all created by one jolly old man with a boisterous laugh. This man, often referred to as Santa Claus, is somewhat of a mystery to adults. But students in Amy Byrd's first-grade class at Walker Elementary School in the Samantha community are completely dialed in to his 365-day-a-year operation. Some even say they have concrete evidence of Santa's existence.</p><p>Long before Christmas Eve arrives, Santa and his little elves are busy making toys for all of the boys and girls in the world. But only “good people” get presents, said 7-year-old Brian Watson. “Bad people don't get anything.” Sometimes bad children will get coal in their stocking, but that is all, a few other students explained.</p><p>Santa knows if children are good or bad because “he can see us when we're sleeping,” said 6-year-old Mary Grace Montgomery. He then puts everyone's name on a good or bad list, said Caroline Barger. The good list is definitely longer than the bad list, the 7-year-old added.</p><p>The toys are then divvied up among the children based on their Christmas wishes. Those wishes are explained in letters that children write to Santa and mail to the North Pole, said 7-year-old Robert Estis. </p><p>“Sometimes he doesn't give you what you want. He gives you a surprise,” Estis said. “I like his surprises.”</p><p>Some of the students said they send emails instead of writing letters, because “it's faster.”</p><p>When Christmas Eve arrives, the elves help Santa load up the sleigh and then he takes off. Jacob Minchew, 7, said there are a lot of reindeer attached to the sleigh, and they fly, added 7-year-old Jonas Sartain. </p><p>“The reindeer have some of the elves' power. They are supposed to fly fast because he has too many reindeer,” said 7-year-old Lucy Lunceford. “Some reindeer plus more reindeer equal a lot of feet. That's how he gets to everyone's house. But it's a long night.”</p><p>Santa visits all the houses, sometimes landing on the roof or the grass, depending on the house, said Kaisen Lawrence, 6. Typically, Santa makes his way down a chimney, but if a house does not have a chimney, then he makes one with his magic, according to 6-year-old Sabrina Boatman, or he just comes in the back door, said Jeremiah Jent, 6, adding that he knows this because his mother told him; he has never seen Santa come in the back door.</p><p>Santa also never gets burnt because he wears a fire-proof suit, said 6-year-old Allee Taylor. </p><p>Sometimes Santa does not even climb down the chimney; his elves climb down instead and they put all the presents under the tree, said Brayden Cannon, 7.</p><p>When the night is finished, Santa returns home to Mrs. Claus and, with the help of his elves, he puts away all of the leftover presents to use next year, said 6-year-old Angel Suire. Then he sleeps for a “whole day because he's really tired from what he does,” Taylor said.</p><p>Some of the students boasted of actually seeing Santa in action, and they had proof. Taylor puts out reindeer food — made of oatmeal, glitter and sometimes rice — on the grass outside her house and every year when she wakes up, the food is gone.</p><p>McKinley Evans, 6, said she saw Santa putting presents under her tree on Christmas Eve last year. She ran to wake up her brother, so he could also see, and then they hid because Santa is not supposed to see them. She was unable to take a photo that night.</p><p>Estis, however, has evidence of Santa's existence in the form of a sleigh bell that was left in his front yard, right next to foot tracks. He said he put the bell away with all of his special things, where no one can find it. Elijah Kimbrell said he found a piece of Santa's beard in his chimney. </p><p>“I didn't hear him scream, though, because I'm a hard sleeper,” said the 7-year-old. “But I'm sure he would have.”</p><p>With or without proof, their unwavering belief in Santa was real, and their love of the holiday — because “you get what you want sometimes,” according to 6-year-old Ethan Boatman — is something that will continue, at least for a few more years. Each student has a favorite part of Christmas, from 7-year-old Melynna Watkins celebrating the birth of Jesus to Suire's enjoyment of getting all of the candy from her stocking. </p><p>But Lucy Lunceford summed it up best: “Giving is the real meaning of Christmas.”</p><p>Reach Kim Eaton at kim.eaton@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.</p>